Two Elvis tunes but not as you know them.

Dread Zeppelin has been a West Coast staple for many years.

Heartbreak Hotel with a reggae beat

[video:youtube]https://youtu.be/rAM1MKi7bNU[/video]

Heartbreak Hotel

This reggae band had a huge hit with this Elvis song:


video:youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vUdloUqZa7w[/video]

BTW Terry, the style you are playing is actually known as “ Raggaeton” which originated from Panamá and later Puerto Rico. The drum pattern is very distinctive with the snare drum hits on the “ ah” “ of beat 1 and the “ and” of beat 2, while the bass drum plays quarter note.

Here’s the drum notation:

Saw Dread Zeppelin a couple of times (opened for them once with a local reggae band I used to play with). Great show, they skanked hard! 🇯🇲

I still do the UB40 version of the Elvis tune from time to time, though it’s a long way from my favorite cover of theirs… Try their take on Billy Holiday’s ’Strange Fruit’: https://youtu.be/aY0_wgdSdy0

That song, especially Billie's and Nina's versions, are very personal and very painful to me. The reason should be obvious. I think this version is a sacrilege and I'm sorry I ever heard it. Please, please, please don't try to defend it in the name of 'creativity'. It is too painful to too many people and in NO WAY conveys the pain this song evokes. I truly have to choke back tears of disgust at the irreverence of this performance.

chas

Some songs should just be left along and Strange Fruit is one of those songs.

What talented ladies Billie and Nina were. They turned every song into gold.

You need to check out early UB40’s songs. They were (are) a mixed race band, and wrote and covered many protest songs before they hit big commerciality with the Labour of Love albums. They brought attention and much needed aid to starving Africans, pointed out the injustices around the world, wrote of rampant youth unemployment in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

So, sorry chas, but no apology is forthcoming. Strange Fruit has been covered by a plethora of musicians of all races, including Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and many others. What matters is the meaning behind the cover, and I can assure you, UB40 did not take this one lightly. Injustice against people of color is not a unique to America thing…

Diki, I didn't ask for an apology nor would I ever expect one from you...for anything. I think if any group, no matter how well-meaning, decided to perform the Ukrainian National Anthem as a Reggae, it would be met by every single Ukrainian with nothing but anger and disgust....and rightly so. Lately, but especially since 2016, we (everyone, but especially Americans) have learned to normalize all sorts of bad behavior that we used to consider distasteful, inappropriate, and just plain disgusting. If we don't belong to the affected group then it's okay and we find all kinds of ways to justify it. "Oh, let's honor General Custer, his death was so tragic", or "let's put up statues and monuments to Robert E. Lee and all of his glorious generals who fought so heroically to keep millions of people enslaved". No, it's easy to have 'another point of view' when you're not a part of the affected group. I don't know what this group's motivation was in choosing to bastardize this song; sometimes gross insensitivity is bourne out of ignorance...maybe that's the case here.

So no, I don't expect an apology from you as clearly you are unable to see the personal pain and disgust I tried to express in my post. I've made my feelings clear and I hope this is the end of it, although I KNOW it won't be (you know, 'last word' and all).

chas

Hello Chas, you know I totally admire you as a musician and a person, and I respect and understand your opinion about "Strange Fruit" The Billie Holiday version is culturally and historically significant and serves as reminder of something that is painful. I can understand why an artist straying away from Billies or Nina somber yet soulful interpretation could be offensive. Perhaps in the same way some people found Jimmy Hendrix's version of the "Star Spangled Banner" offensive.

But on the other hand, at least this song of such historical and cultural significance is not being forgotten or simply kept as a "museum piece". Unfortunately the song is as relevant as it was in the Jim Crow era. When contemporary artists cover this song , they bring it to a new generation that might not be inclined to listen to Billie or Nina.

I personally find Kayne West's version of this song inappropriate, I won't even post a link to it because I would not feel right about it, but I do give him credit for at least bringing the song to the young generation- maybe raising some awareness.

Just my thoughts Chas, you'll be my friend even if you disagree.
If you'd rather not discuss it, that cool too.

Respectfully,

Paul